STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- For the third day in a row, dense fog is slowing the morning commute for Staten Islanders and adding a murky level of extra risk for motorists.

By 8:15, eastbound traffic on the Staten Island Expressway was moving at a crawl between South Avenue and Richmond Avenue.

Several traffic accidents have been reported this morning, but there have been no reports of injuries, and none has apparently caused any additional major traffic problems.

Speed is restricted to 35 miles per hour on Staten Island bridges. The fog is again slowing Staten Island ferry service as well.

Instead of their swifter 15-minute rush-hour departures across upper New York Harbor, the ferries have, in recent foggy mornings, fell back to a modified rush-hour schedule in which departures are 20 minutes apart.

Forecasters say that this morning's southwest winds are likely to help clear the fog a bit earlier this morning. The sun will also help. We can expect highs well into the 70s today. Some forecasts suggest temperature records may fall.